Voice & Tone
Conversational, relatable, industry leader. Easy to read, to the point. Make it clear the organization is the subject matter expert. Hook the reader by making even dry subjects entertaining.
Style Standards
AP Style and Merriam-Webster Dictionary as baseline. Apply modifications in sections below.
Capitalization Rules
- Titles capitalized when directly preceding a name. "Director of Operations [Name]" not "director of operations [Name]." Lowercase when standing alone: "the director of operations sent the memo."
- Product names and services always capitalized. "The Dig" always capitalized
- Published works follow standard title case rules
Punctuation
- No Oxford comma. Write "red, white and blue" not "red, white, and blue"
- Hyphens for compound modifiers before a noun. "high-performing teams" but "teams that are high performing"
- Punctuation inside quotation marks. She said, "I agree."
- Use "said" not "says" for attribution in past tense reporting
Numbers
- Headlines: numerals for all numbers. "2 Ways to..." not "Two Ways to..."
- Body copy: write out numbers below 10, numerals for 10 and above. "five people attended" but "12 people attended"
- Dollar amounts: always numerals. "$500,000" not "five hundred thousand dollars"
- Percentages: always numerals with %. "47%" not "forty-seven percent"
The Voldemort List
Words and phrases never to use. These phrases carry brand baggage or misalign with our positioning.
Do NOT use: surveillance language ("tracking people," "monitoring employees")
Instead use: "asset visibility," "workforce management," "operational oversight"
Do NOT use: "sell" when describing technology adoption
Instead use: "educate," "enable," "empower"
Do NOT use: "family" for the employee relationship
Instead use: "team." Family implies obligation without boundaries.
Do NOT use: "corporate" as a noun
Instead use: "HQ," "Home Office" or "the leadership team"
Do NOT use: informal job titles when formal ones exist
Use the accurate, professional title. "Customer Success Manager" not "account rep." "Facilities Coordinator" not "the maintenance guy."
Do NOT use: "nationwide" or other scope claims without specifics
Instead use: specific regions, market counts or "across all locations"
Do NOT use: "synergy," "best-in-class," "world-class," "cutting-edge"
Say what it does. If you cannot describe it without a buzzword, you do not understand it yet.
Do NOT use: "stakeholder alignment" or "circle back"
Name the people. Name the action. "The ops team will review by Friday."
Approval Process
1
Writer develops outline
3
Draft with Subject Matter Expert
5
Senior Editor tone/voice/style check
This process ensures consistency in voice, accuracy of information and alignment with organizational standards before any communication reaches our audience.